Seal ring for open head drum

ABSTRACT

A closure ring for use with an open head drum utilizes a reduced diameter portion proximal each end thereof to increase the force required to draw the end of the ring together about the drum head and an associated lid and gasket, thereby increasing the compressive force applied to the gasket in the reduced diameter region resulting in greater sealing effect at the junction of the ring ends.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of reusable containers andmore specifically to reusable drums commonly known as open head drums.More particularly the present invention relates to an improvement insealing open head drums and in even greater particularity relates to animprovement in the closure ring used to secure a lid to an open headdrum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Open head drums are commonly used as storage and transportationcontainers in many industries in the U.S. and Europe. Such drums arerelatively easy to clean or recondition and thus are generally reusable.One problem that open head drums have is the difficulty in forming aproper seal about the top of the drum. Typically, open head drums havean outwardly rolled upper edge which is engaged by a lid which has anannular seat formed thereon. The seat rests atop a gasket intermediatethe drum and the lid. A closure ring is placed over the lid and drum rimand tightened to maintain the sealing pressure on the gasket. Theclosure ring is a split ring which is secured on the drum head by one ofvarious means for urging the ends of the ring toward each other. Theweakness in the seal lies at the junction of the split ring. Open headdrums must undergo drop tests wherein the drums are dropped from aheight of at least four feet. The internal and external forces generatedby the sudden deceleration upon impact typically cause leakage at thejunction. Prior attempts to alleviate the problem have been to reinforcethe lid at the junction as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,931 or to place aprotective cover over the junction as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,700.Neither attempt has been successful; therefore, this attempt attacks theproblem differently. There remains a need for a closure ring whichreduces the vulnerability of the seal at the ring junction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to reduce the vulnerability ofopen head drums to leaks in the seal formed between the drums and thelids thereof.

A further object of the invention is to prevent leakage of a sealed openhead drum subjected to a drop test.

Each of the foregoing objects is to further the principal object ofimproving the reliability and usefulness of open head drums as sealedcontainers.

Each of the foregoing objects and other advantages are accomplished inmy invention which applies greater pressure to the lid and gasket at theend of the split ring thereby improving the seal in the region of thejunction. The mechanism used to accomplish this improved seal is areduced diameter region at each of the split ends. As the ends are urgedtogether greater radial pressure must be applied to the lid to reducethe separation between the ends, therefore the force applied to the lidand gasket is increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A sealing ring embodying the features of my invention is depicted in theaccompanying drawing which form a portion of this disclosure andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of an open head, drum, lid,gasket, and closure ring;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the closure ring taken through the endportion;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the closure ring taken along the split of thering; and

FIG. 4 is a partial top view of the closure ring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings for a clearer understanding of my invention itmay be seen from FIG. 1 that an open head drum 11 has an upperperipheral edge 12 which may be formed into an outwardly rolled rim. Acompressible gasket 13 is typically placed between the upper edge 12 anda downwardly opening annular seat 14 formed in a lid 16. When a drum 11is to be sealed, normally the lid 16 will be urged into position by afluid activated ram which compresses the gasket 13 as it seats the lid16 on the drum. The lid 16 is then secured by a closure ring 17.

My improved closure ring 17 is a split ring having a first end 18 and asecond end 19, the ends are normally connected by a threaded bolt 21which engages a threaded eye 22 on one end and passes through anunthreaded eye 23 on the other and such that rotation of the threadedbolt 21 draws the two ends toward abutment. It will be understood bythose familiar with the art that various other means may be used to drawthe ends together.

My ring forms an inwardly opening receptacle into which the upper edge12, seat 14, and gasket 13 may be received. Typically the receptacleforms a concave surface 24, the inner diameter of which is equal to orsubstantially equal to the outer diameter of the lid 16, except in myinvention, a reduced diameter portion 26 is formed proximal each end ofthe split ring. The reduced diameter portion is a radially inwardlyextending protrusion which forms a shoulder 27 transverse to the concavesurface such that the protrusions formed on each end form a pair ofparalleled shoulders 28 where the ends abut. Each reduced diameterportion 26 also has a conical surface 29 extending from the shoulder 27to the terminal end of the ring, thus forming a minimum diameter at theadjacent ends of the split ring.

It will be appreciated by those familiar with the art that, when aconventional ring is drawn tightly about the drum and lid, substantiallyuniform forces are applied to the lid except at the adjacent ends of thering, where the force is somewhat less than at other points about thering. With my invention, as the ring is urged into a closed position theinward projection at each end must be overcome to tighten the ring, thusapplying greater pressure at the adjacent ends of the ring than at otherpoints about the ring. This pressure serves to hold the lid more firmlyagainst the gasket in the region thus insuring the compression of thegasket and hence its resistance to leak. Therefore, when the drum issubjected to stresses, such as during the drop test, the path of leastresistance to fluid escape through the junction of the ring iseliminated by the compressed gasket beneath the reduced diameter portionof the ring.

While I have shown my invention in one form, it will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible ofvarious changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof.

What I claim is:
 1. An improved ring for securing and sealing a lid toan open head drum, said open head drum having an outwardly extendingupper edge and said lid having an annular seat formed thereon forengagement on said upper edge, said annular seat holding a compressiblegasket in position on said upper edge to form a seal, said improved ringcomprising, a circular member split on one radian thereof to form a pairof adjacent ends, said circular member having a concave inner surfacefor encasing the outer peripheral portion of said lid and said upperedge of said open head drum and means for urging said adjacent endstoward each other, each end of said pair of adjacent ends having aradially projecting reduced diameter portion.
 2. An improved ring asdefined in claim 1 wherein said concave inner surface has an averagediameter substantially equal to or less than the outer diameter of saidlid.
 3. An improved ring as defined in claim 2 wherein said reduceddiameter portion of each end of said pair of adjacent ends forms aninwardly projecting shoulder transversely of said concave surface.
 4. Animproved ring as defined in claim 3 wherein said reduced diameterportion includes a semi-conical surface tapering from said inwardlyprojecting shoulder toward the end of said circular member to form aminimum diameter at the end of said circular member.
 5. An improved ringas defined in claim 2 wherein said reduced diameter portion includes asemi-conical surface tapering toward the end of said circular memberforming a minimum diameter at the end of said circular member.
 6. A ringfor sealing a lid to an open headed drum or the like wherein said openheaded drum has an outwardly rolled upper edge and said lid has anannular seat formed thereon to rest on said upper edge with an annulargasket intermediate to said lid and open headed drum, with said ringcomprising a substantially split ring having a first end and a secondend with a means for securing said ends to one another, and an inwardlyopening groove extending substantially the length of said split ring forreceiving said lid, said annular gasket, and said rolled upper edge ofsaid open headed drum therein, and a radially inwardly extendingprotrusion formed on said groove proximal said first end and a secondradially inwardly extending protrusion formed proximal said second end,said protrusions forming parallel shoulders when said first and secondends are abutted.
 7. A ring for sealing as defined in claim 6 whereinsaid first and second protrusions are radial ribs which areperpendicular to said ring for sealing, said ribs being conical on theirinner surfaces having a minimum diameter at said first and second end.8. A sealing ring for use with an open top drum or the like said opentop drum having an outwardly rolled upper edge, a lid having an annularportion adapted for engagement with at least part of the upper surfaceof said rolled upper edge and an annular gasket for sealing said drumand lid said sealing ring comprising a split ring having an innerdiameter sufficient to permit it to encircle said upper edge and gasket,and forming a radially inwardly opening retainer for said upper edge,lid and gasket, said split ring having a reduced diameter portionproximal each end thereof and means for urging said ends of said ringtoward an abutting relationship encircling said upper edge, lid, andgasket whereby said gasket undergoes maximum compression in the regionbeneath said reduced diameter portion.
 9. A sealing ring as defined inclaim 8 wherein said reduced diameter portion includes a semi-conicalsurface tapering toward the end of said circular member to form aminimum diameter at the end of said circular member.
 10. A sealing ringas in claim 8 wherein said split ring has a concave inner surface.
 11. Asealing ring as defined in claim 10 wherein said concave inner surfacehas an average diameter substantially equal to or less than the outerdiameter of said lid.
 12. A sealing ring as defined in claim 11 whereinsaid reduced diameter portion of each end forms an inwardly projectingshoulder transversely of said concave surface.
 13. A sealing ring asdefined in claim 12 wherein said reduced diameter portion includes asemi-conical surface tapering from said inwardly projecting shouldertoward the end of said circular member to form a minimum diameter at theend of said circular member.